Universal joint.



R. AK HARTMANN UNIVERSAL MINT.

aPPLlcATfoN FILED om'. 9. 191?.

Paented Dec. 52A 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

#nld lllllllllf s. HARTMANN. UNIVERSAL JOINT.

I APPUCATIOH FLED GCT. 9. 9l. yg@ Paened Dee. 24, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

RICHARD A. HARTMANN, OF HARTFORD. CONNECTICUT.

'UNVERSAL JOINT.

tessuti.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 211, 191,8.

Application mea october 9, 1917. 'serial No. 195,586.

To all 107mm 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, Riemann A. HART- MANN, a subject of the lhnperor oli' Ger-l many, residing at Hartford, inthe county oi' Hartford and State of Connecticut. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Joints; and l do hereby declare the following to be a iull, clear, and exact description ot the invention, such, as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in .universal joints.

The. object of the present invention is to improve the construction ot universal joints and to provide a simple, practical and etlicientconstruction :t'or effectively excluding dust and dirt from the joints.

A further object of the invention is to increase the strength, durability and ellicieney of the joint :lud to enable the wear to be sustained by removable bushings adapted to l "eadily replaced when necessary, whereby a'1 ellicient bearing is maintained at all tinies.

vWith these and other objects in view, the

l invention consists in the construction and novel Combination oi parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingr drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that v rious changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope ot the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing` any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a universal joint constructed in accordanee'with this invention. y

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4' is a similar View on the line 4.-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the coupling sleeves or members.

Like numerals of reference designate cor responding parts in 'all the figures ol the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the universal joint comprises in its construction a pair o-sleeves or coupling members` 1 divided longitudinally and clamped on the adjacent ends of shafts 2 and 3 by bolts l which pierce flanged portions ol? the sections 5 ot the coupling sleeves or members. The coupling sleeves or membersI are provided with arms G having openings 7 for the reception of bushings 8 threaded into the openings 7 as shown at 8a and also provided with tapered openings 9 to form bearings for tapered pivots or pins 10 ot a block 11. The pivots 0r pins 10, which are arranged at diametrically opposite points on the block 11, as clearly illustrated in Fig. f3 ot' the drawings, are preferably t'ornied integral with the same and they have threaded outer 'portions 12 for the reception olf lock nuts 13 and 14 which are adapted to take up side motion and prevent the arms from spreading. The bushings, which receive the wear and which may be readily replaced when worn, are adapted to be easily adjusted to take up the wear and when it desired to adjust the bushings the nuts 13 and 14; are .nnscrewed sufficiently to enable the bushings to bo screwed down and seated. The bushings are preferably provided with slots or recesses to receive a spanner or other tool for adjusting them. The arms (5 are split at, their terminals and are provided thereat with ears 15 for the reception ot bolts 16 by means ot which theI bushings are firmly and detaehably clamped in the openings olf the arms. The block 11 isprefcrably spherical at the/central or body' portion thereotE at the inner ends ot' the pivots or pins, as shown.

'lhe sleeves or coupling members are provided at the outer ends of the arms with circular heads or ianges 17 having eircum t'erential grooves 18 for the reception of the opposite edges 19 of a exible covering .0 of leather' or other suitable niaterial which is secured in the grooves 18 by spring clampingl rings 21. 'lfhe sprlng clamping rings 21, which are constructed of suitable resilient material, are adapted to be sprung;` over the circular heads 17 tor clamping the covering-20 in position. The flexible covering 2O is onpositely tapered and curved longitudinall)7 ol? the joints to provide a spherical formation and it is maintained in proper position and prevented li'rom collapsing b v a coiled spring 21 which is oppositely tapered and which has its terminal coils arranged upon ledges Q3 -Formed at the'- periphervr ot' the circular heads 12 'at the inner sides of the grooves 18. This construc- 922 i geen?? tion will provide a perfectly tig-ht dustproof covering which will Toe flexible und vicldable to the movements of the members of the universal joint and the coiled spring will return the covering to its proper eX- panded or extended position after a move-V ment of the joint.

@ne or both of the coupling` sleeres or members inav be provided with a pair of rectangular sockets 2d for the reception of spaced sides of a'iorked portion 26 which may be formed onone or both of the shafts 2 and The forked portion 26 is-eoniposed of the spaced parallel side portions andthe transverse connecting portions7 the side portions being;r squared so that they will lit the rectangular sockets. By constructing the shaft in this manner, the heavy strain is .taken from the center and will not be so hard on the bearing. At Athe saine time the strength of the connection is materially increased as there is twice the amount of attaching surface lior securing,- the shaft to the coupling sleeve or member.

lt will be seen that the universal joint is dustproot and that any looseness or lost motion ma)7 be readily taken up by the tightening oi the nuts and bolts and the arms of the coupling sleeves or members.

What is 'claimed is:

l. A. universal joint including a pair oit coupling inen'ibers provided with circular heads, means for connecting` the adjacent ends the members, a ieztible 'covering oi5 approximately spheriealiiorm having' openings at opposite ends and fitted on the cir cular heads and secured to the same, and a coiled spring arranged within. the flexible covering and maintaining the' same in an expanded or extended position.

A umversal'joint includingr a pair of coupling members provided with circularheads, means for connecting the adjacent ends of the members, a flexible covering of approximately spherical form having openings at opposite ends and fit-ted on the circular headsffand secured to the same, and a coiled spring arranged Within the flexible covering and maintaining the same in an eX- panded or extended position, the terminal coils or the spring being seated upon the circular heads of the coupling sleeves or members. l

3. A universal joint including a pair of coupling` members provided with circular lieadsl'iaving outer peripheral grooves 'andV provided with inner circumferential ledges, means Jtor connecting1 the coupling members,

a flexible substantially' spherical covering having opposite openings receiving the heads, clamping rings arranged in the grooves and securing the covering to the heads, and an oppositely tapered coiled spring arranged within the ,flexible covcl'-,4

ing and having terminal coils mounted'on vthe circumferential seat, said coiled spring` 

